On Monday, July 3 from 8:30 – 9:30 am, you can join others at Park Avenue Beach for All Hands on Deck. On that day, people across the Great Lakes will link hands around the lakefront in their respective cities in support of Great Lakes Protection efforts. The Great Lakes is the largest source of fresh surface water on Earth, containing 18% of the world’s supply of fresh surface water and 90% of the US supply. Our drinking water comes from Lake Michigan. With this proximity to the lake comes a special responsibility to protect it. The choices we make have an impact on the health of the Great Lakes. Please join us to show your support for protection of this important resource.
Category: Water
May 13 Events
SWALCO’s annual rain barrel, compost bin and native plant sale will take place from 9 am – 3 pm at Independence Grove Forest Preserve in Libertyville. Details are here.
Help clean up the Chicago River on Saturday morning between 9 am and 12 pm. In Highland Park, there are 2 clean up sites: 1) the northeast end of the Target parking lot or 2) the Golf Dome off the highway north of Park Avenue. Bring gloves and wear rain boots.
Moraine Township is looking for volunteers in the morning to help plant their garden, and in the afternoon to help sort food at the pantry. Details are here. You can also donate to the food pantry by leaving a bag of shelf stable, unexpired food by your mailbox during Saturday’s Postal Food Drive.
Coal Tar Sealants Banned in Highland Park
I am pleased to report that the Highland Park City Council has voted to ban the use and sale of Coal Tar Sealants. Coal tar is a known human carcinogen. These sealants do not provide any structural advantage to pavement – they just make it look black. There are alternatives available which are less toxic and similarly priced.
We are lucky to live so close to Lake Michigan. With our proximity to the lake comes a responsibility to protect it. Lake Michigan is part of the Great Lakes Basin which is the largest freshwater system on earth. The Great Lakes contain 18% of world supply of fresh surface water and 90% of US supply. Our drinking water comes from Lake Michigan. The choices we make do have an impact on the health of our Great Lakes.
How do I know if there’s lead in my water?
We recently tested the water in public buildings in Highland Park for lead, and are taking steps to remedy areas where contamination was discovered. Here’s a list of certified labs that you can contact if you’d like to test the water in your home for lead. More information on lead and how it gets into drinking water is here. The City of Highland Park regularly tests drinking water, you can find information on the quality of the water here.